More Coverage

He was never going to fill the needs in the entry draft and the chances were remote that a big, first-line centre and an experienced goalie from the early days of free agency.

But that doesn’t mean Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke plans to head to training camp without acquiring either big ticket or both. Whether realistic or not, Burke vowed on Tuesday that there is plenty to be done over the next two-plus months.

“I would say that’s not a real possibility at all,” Burke told Sportsnet 590 The Fan radio when asked if the current roster will be the one that reports for camp. “That’s remote. We need to do some more work.

“We believe we can upgrade at those positions, yes.”

Burke acknowledged that the requirements of new coach Randy Carlyle will be different than those of Ron Wilson which is why size will matter in whatever shopping happens. He believes he answered that in part by acquiring big (but not necessarily nasty) winger James van Riemsdyk in the draft-day trade with Philadephia but more needs to be done.

“We need to get some sandpaper in there as well,” said Burke, who also suggested that it wouldn’t hurt for second-year Leafs centre, Tim Connolly, to pick up his game.

As for immediate prospects, it would appear that the standby “nothing imminent” applies, though Burke said teams that locked up money in terms of big contracts on July 1 are “anxiously calling teams that didn’t.”

Whether Burke has the goods to take advantage and whether decent options exist could make for a long summer of trying to make something happen from a prospect that may well be easier said than done.

Zach Attack

The marquee forward of this year’s class switched locations for Day 3 of free agency, but still no decision for New Jersey Devils captain, Zach Parise. Parise returned to his home state of Minnesota where he will continue to evaluate his options with his fiance and father J.P., a former Minnesota North Stars player.

“There’s a lot of things to factor into it and I think that’s why we’re taking our time with the decision,” Parise told the Minneapolis StarTribune. “It’s not something we can just make at 1 o’clock on July 1.

“We haven’t made a timetable or wanted to make a timetable. I don’t want to put those types of restrictions on anything. You have to do the right research and it’s a life-changing decision.”

“There’s so much more than the money. That plays a very small factor in it.”

By most accounts, the Devils appear to be in the mix with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers thought to be the top remaining suitors.

“I’m excited for it to be over pretty soon,” Parise said.

Suter Suitors

There was no other rush from the camp of the other major free agent, defenceman Ryan Suter, as prospective future employers line up to boost their antes.

Multiple reports had the Detroit Red Wings making a trip to Suter’s off-season home of Madison, Wis., where the offer on the tape is said to be $90 million over 13 years. Minnesota Wild management made a similar visit and like the rest in the hunt, will have to wait for a decision.

The Wings are obviously hungry for a stud on the blue line after Nicklas Lidstrom retired.

As for the process, the agent for the former Nashville Predators’ star took exception to those who feel his client is taking too long.

“For a young man who is looking to commit to 13 years, I find it strange that people expect him to make a decision within hours or days,” Suter’s agent, Neil Sheehy told the Detroit Free Press. “Everything needs to be carefully considered.”

Quick Hits

Nothing like a strong playoff run to push up the price for Devils defenceman Bryce Salvador who opted to remain in New Jersey after signing a three-year, $9.5 million contract. The 36 year-old said the Devils offered similar money to other suitors. “My playoff performance was the reason why teams put a third year on the table,” Salvador told the Newark Star-Ledger. “Where I’m at in my career, it’s not about the money. It would’ve taken a lot to keep me from being a Devil.” ... Olli Jokinen likely said the same thing when he landed in Calgary, but in deciding on Winnipeg as his next home, the veteran forward has playoffs on his mind. “I had two other offers, but I looked at Winnipeg’s lineup and it’s an up-and-coming team,” Jokinen said in a conference call with Winnipeg media. “I can help this team take the next step. My whole thing is when I went back to Calgary two years ago, I wanted to prove to people that I can still play in the league and I wanted to help that team get into the playoffs. I was able to do one of those things. It was time for me to move on.” ... The Colorado Avalanche re-signed restricted free-agent Erik Johnson to a four-year contract for a reported $15 million ... Another underachieving season wasn’t enough for the Canadiens to buy out forward Scott Gomez. “He’s a Montreal Canadien, so he’ll come here and we’ll see what happens,” new GM Marc Bergevin told reporters in Montreal. “But I’m not buying him out.”